Sorrel Soup - Soupe á l'oseille

Sorrel soup has traditionally been one of the easiest soups to conjure  up in times of trouble. A poor farmer could always rely on having some onions, potatoes and butter or lard on the premises and it was easy enough in the countryside to find some sorrel to give it a wonderful taste.

Sorrel is not so easy to find in cities unless you are close to a good food market although I see it is sold in French Metro stores under the herb section.

Most chefs are familiar with sorrel as it is popularly used for fish sauces as well as excellent with egg dishes and in combination salads generally. However it makes a delicious soup too so it is worth getting out into the countryside and foraging for it. Fortunately it is now in season and grows profusely in shady areas along the hedgerows. In fact it was as a 8 year old walking on the way to school that I intuitively pulled my first sorrel leaf from a ditch and was immediately struck by the delicious shock of bitterness it contained! I wondered for years why no one was cooking with it!

Sorrel growing wild in the garden hedge:



Ingredients required: (serves 4)

Splash of olive oil (1 tablespoon)
3 shallots thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
3 potatoes thinly sliced
1 litre  water
Quart litre chicken stock
3 handfuls sorrel
Sea salt & black pepper to season
1 pinch of fresh parsley to serve (optional)





Wash the sorrel and set aside. In the pan heat the olive oil. Then add the shallots and garlic, Mix regularly. After three minutes add the sliced potato. Keep mixing regularly. Add the water and the chicken stock and bring gently to the boil. Once the potatoes are soft remove from heat. Place the raw sorrel in the blender and add the potato stock on top. Blend for 1 minute. Place the soup back in the pan and season with salt and black pepper. Bring back almost  to boil but don't boil. Serve immediately. You can add a few sprigs of flat leafed parsley or a little butter or creme fraiche if you wish. I think it's fine just as it is. A little garlic bread or a glass of dry white wine won't do any harm either!




Bon appetit!

Additional Cooking Courses for 2020

French Dining School Cooking Class Schedule A 2020

START DATE	FINISH DATE	REF NO	Maximum Number	French Bank Holidays
31 May	6 June	FDS7/20	8	31 May/1 June   Whit Sunday/Monday
14 June	20 June	FDS8/20	8
28 June	4 July	FDS9/20	8
12 July	18 July	FDS10/20	8	14 July Bastille Day
26 July	1 August	FDS11/20	8
9 August	15 August	FDS12/20	8	15 Aug Assumption Day
23 August	29 August	FDS13/20	8
6 September	12 September	FDS14/20	8
20 September	26 September	FDS15/20	8
27 September	3 October	FDS15/20A	8
4 October	10 October	FDS16/20	8
11 October	17 October	FDS16/20A	8
18 October	24 October	FDS17/20	8	Nov 1 All Saints Day
1 November	7 November	FDS18/20	8	Nov 11 Armistice Day
8 November	14 November	FDS18/20A	8
15 November	21November	FDS19/20	8
29 December	3 January 2021	FDS20/21	6	1 January New Year’s Day

Lemon and almond cake

This is a citrus cake and you can replace the lemon with two oranges if you prefer. It was inspired by one of our students from Melbourne so we call it Keogh cake!

Ingredients (serves 12)

1 whole lemon (organic) (or 2 oranges if orange cake)

6 eggs

250g sugar

250g ground almond flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

Method

Boil the whole lemon (or oranges) in water for 30 minutes and allow to chill. Cut into pieces including the rind but remove seeds. Blend the pulp.

Whip the egg and sugar till foamy. Add the almond flour, lemon pulp and baking powder into the whipped egg and sugar. Bake the cake in a well buttered baking tin for an hour at 180c/350f

Sprinkle with cocoa powder and serve. It will stay fresh and moist for three days if stored in a cool spot. 

Magical when accompanied with buttermilk ice cream! 

Take time to cook with your family

With many schools and creches closed parents may find this a great opportunity to cook with their children, With time on their hands people working from home with  or without children may also avail of the opportunity to cook from scratch and make the most of their food including leftovers! No one wants to eat pasta every day but why not learn how to make your own pasta and then put your own ingredients into it!



There is another reason why people should take notice of what they are eating and cooking.The covid 19 virus is a particular risk to everyone who has a weak immune system. Whatever your position you can strengthen your immune system by adhering to the following guidelines:

Don't smoke
Eat a diet high in fruit and vegetables.
Exercise regularly
Maintain a healthy weight
Drink alcohol in moderation
Sleep well
Wash your hands properly and frequently
Refrain from processed or junk foods.
Get out for a walk every day
Open your windows and let in fresh air as often as is possible if confined indoors.

Doctors of course are right to say there is no single cure to stop someone getting an infection. Our immune systems are complicated and can be affected by age, stress, weather. genes etc. But everyone knows that to eat well is to improve your chances of fighting infection.  That is why this current pandemic is a great opportunity to focus on eating good food and learning new and healthy recipes if you have time on your hands at home. It is a win win situation.

There are lots of healthy recipes on the internet and on this blog. A sure and foolproof recipe which will boost your immune system is a simple vegetable soup. You can make a big pot of it and it will last for a week in the fridge. Use whatever vegetables you have and don't be afraid to complement your food basket by sourcing wild herbs and plants such as nettles and dandelion leaves from safe areas away from traffic pollution.



Simple Vegetable Soup

1 large onion P&S (peeled and sliced!)
1 carrot P&S
1 butternut squash* P&S(or use any other vegetable available like a bag of frozen peas!)
1 red pepper P&S
1 fresh chilli P&S
1 leek P&S
1 litre stock
Glass of white wine
Bunch of  parsley & thyne
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

In a large skillet add a splash of vegetable oil and heat. Saute the onions for five minutes then add the chile and vegetables. Add the wine, herbs and the stock and bring slowly and gently to the boil (about 20 minutes). Simmer gently on a low heat mixing regularly. Then remove from pan and blend in a blender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot perhaps with sourdough bread or a sandwich. If you want to use a basil or other herbal oil  as a dressing on the soup this will heighten the experience.


*(or use any other vegetable available like a bag of frozen peas!)